The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-07-16
JOHN THE BAPTIST.
EXPLANATORY NOTES bY REV. n.
S. M'ARTHUR, D. o.
Lesson III OF the International Series
Third Quarter, for sunday. July IL
Text of tn. Lesson, Matthew III, lie.
Golden Text. Matthew al, y.

|
o Matthew, still adhering to his design o
T, showing the harmony between the facts o
. ChriNts life and the Old Testament prophc
= cics regarding his character and mission pro
/ ceclS now to speak OF the ministry OF JOIN
| the Baptist Seldom has this noble man la,
full justice. His humanity is as marked rs hi
bravery and conservation A careful study
: Of the lesson for today cannot fail TO be help
ful TO teachers and pupils alike, as il illus
tratcs the character and work OF John, Al
teachers and preachers may gladly learn
from the noble Baptist To decrease that Christ
may increase; b be nothing that hc may be
everything; TO bo only voice proclaiming
his glory and directing men 10 him as the
lamb of God
V. l. In those days, ctc.-Thc days here
mentioned are those during which Christ was
living in obscurity in Nazareth. lie was
there subject TO his PARENTS he was there a'
the perfect boy, a more difficult conception
than that Of the perfect man; ho was there
not merely MS the carpenters son, but as a
carpenter This fact ought to give inspira-
ton, patience and wisdom 10 every true
! workingman. Christ is his best friend. \
period of about twenty seven years passed
between the time Of Christ's going TO Na2a-
rcth and the beginning Of Johns SIN nistry. At
the ngc Of II wehayc our Lords brief visit to
Jerusalem with his parents Again the cur
| tain falls; again the silence becomes almost
com lctc. We have the suggestive sentence
| that Jesus "incrcn-ci IN wisdom and Uupui
| c,,gg and ia favor with God and man" This
silence !, remarkable. W miracle is record
/ "d; uo glory Is displayed; 40 heavenly vote"
/ is H.gfL This silence, tlJ, Is vocal TO ila
/ Duunhiui s'udrut II Teaches valuable .n-.
a.l, Oh, pg'i.uu', sum. ..uu and - .a.a'l.u
Came John The Bap.-t.--4hn word "i..u'
means one whom jehovah uas -a.uU.F
given. John was Xix months tua senior ol
jesus
V, ; R"pcnt.-This word means. n, its
composition implies, afterthought, reflection,
then change Of mind \ comparison Of
passage, where the word i, found will adj
other ideas to thi, ono, O. &, sorrow for aud
'olsating Of sin, turning 10 God and change
ID tas course Of l.lc. Another word i, found
IA The New Testament aud translated '1e.
palt,' but this does not SO much denote
change If mind rs sorrow ANA rcmDr-c be-
cause of the consequences of the act per.
formed.
preston. Ilc other evangests LAY the king
dom of God, elsewhere in the New Testament
the kingdom Of Christ or simply the king
dom, we often find. The prophet, generally
spoke Of the Messiah rs the king This is par
tcularly true Of Daniel 1t thus came 10
pass that the words kingdom Of heaven came
to stand for the reign Of the Messiah The |
ancient government of Gods people was theo- |
t,y,. ,,,t CAN. -
the kingdom of God. The people misunder- |
stood the significance Of the language. Nev- |
crtheless it contained truth. Christ and his |
apostles restored the term to its true meaning |
Christ is king; all truth is his realm His |
kingdom Is not Of this world; it is spiritual;
every believers heart is his throne; the king
dom begins In each regenerated heart; its
meaning Is extended TO include all such per
sons in the world it is extended further to
include all snints in glory. 1t will have its
grand consummation when every knee bows
to Christ and every tongue confesses that he
is Lord. Although John may have enter
tanned many partial views of Christ, he at
least understood the spiritual nature Of his
kingdom. 1t is now drawing near; it is at
hand.
V. 3. This quotation is from Isa ri. 8. In
John ], %, the Baptist applies the prediction
to himself. The eastern custom of sending
messengers before kings TO level hills, fill val
leys, etc, gives rise to this figure. The same
thing is done still when the sultans and
others OF rank make their journeys through
these wild and uninhabited regions The
stones have to bc gathered out. crooked
places made straight, and rough places plain
So John went before Jesus.
'. T. Johns Dress He was the Elijah of
lis day, The coarse outer garment was the
prophets dress. The long shaggy hair of
he camel furnished material for MS raiment.
Nantes of this material it is said, are still
worn by Arab guides who conduct travellers,
md by shepherds who watch their hocks Oh
he JGdcan hills GirdlcS were n necessity:
lowing garments had to be bound about the
OnS Wil"n the wearer was walking or work
ne. His food was lOcusts, closely reSom- |
ling graSshopperS. To the jew they were
lean. They might be eaten roasted or
oiled; often they were sailed and preserved
hey are still eaten by the poorer classes
he wild honey could readily be louud in the
OCks and trees of the wilderness.
V. >. Jerusalem and all Judcn The people
anne in largo numbers; not every one, Lut
cry many. Such language is common today
'. q. Baptizcl in tAnliver jordan
Is the New Version gives it. The Jordan,
r the Dcsccndcr. is river of Palestine: riS- =
- near the base of Mount lIcrmon. 1t unitcs T
nth other streams before il enters the Lake G
liuleh; leaving TINS lake it flows nine I
lilies to the Sea of Galilec Ii is said that lis :
curse can be traced through this sea for n +,
lille; thence it continues Its crooked way to i
10 Dead Sea. Baptism by John in these q
owing waters was accompanied 10y the con /
'SSion Of sin -
vs.. 10 PhariSees and Sadducees. Both Il
lcse ScCts originated about $50 years before
hrist; both had their origin in worthy as
lrations both had now greatly dcgeneiated.
he fhariSccs observed Iigdly the letter of n
10 law, and they became intoleraut and self -
Shtcous. The Sadducees rightly rejected II
addition, but they also wrongly denied i'm ii
)rtant truths; they were largely made up "
men of wealth and learning This preacher
'cdgreat plainness Of speech Brood offspring @,
Nipclr is strong language Wrath to come "
primarily that which came on the Jewish n
alton nj the destruction of Jerusalem; and u
lily at the judgment on the great day wf "
'mc on all the wicked, Fruits meet etc nj
heir course of life must show the genuine II
SS of their repentance; sins must be for ft
ken as well as confessed Abraham our la